Team Penske’s strong pace across the opening week of practice for next weekend’s Indy 500 has carried over to the first day of qualifying, with Will Power leading home teammates Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden to progress to Day 2.
Power was the ninth driver to take to the track for his qualifying run and averaged 234.030 mph (376.635 kmh) for his first lap before crossing the line for a four-lap average of 233.758 mph.
That was the only average speed that surpassed McLaughlin’s, who was second of 34 drivers to take to the track and averaged 233.332 mph. That was slightly faster than Newgarden’s 233.293 mph, with the reigning Indy 500 champion tenth to take to the track.
McLaughlin was the only Kiwi to progress to Day 2’s Top 12 Shootout.
Marcus Armstrong will start his oval debut in the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 from 16th, commendably as the second fastest Kiwi with an average speed of 232.183 mph.
Scott Dixon will begin the race from 21st, averaging 231.851 mph, while British-Kiwi rookie Tom Blomqvist qualified 25th at 231.578 mph.
McLaren’s Alexander Rossi jumped to fourth with 70 minutes remaining in the session, with the track temperature soaring at over 50 degrees Celsius, having been just 35 degrees when proceedings began.
Kyle Kirkwood, who got proceedings underway, was fifth-fastest and the quickest Honda, ahead of NASCAR Cup star Kyle Larson, who remarkably qualified sixth at 232.563 mph.
Larson, the 2021 Cup Series Champion who often appears at Western Springs Speedway in a Spritcar over the summer, was the only rookie to progress to the Top 12 Shootout despite aborting his initial run.
Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist was seventh, ahead of Santino Ferrucci and two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato.
Pato O’Ward’s third attempt, made with an hour remaining, vaulted him into the top 12 in tenth.
Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus Veekay scraped through to Day 2 of qualifying in the final seconds.
Veekay crashed out on his first lap and significantly damaged his Chevrolet-powered entry on his first run, but the team remarkably managed a complete rebuild while proceedings continued, allowing their driver back for one final chance at progressing. He did just that, averaging 232.419 mph.
“We had hopes, and that’s what brings you there,” an emotional VeeKay said following the run. “Wow! What an effort from the guys. Incredible.
“I just had to make sure I keep it alive and get it over the line. I’m not sure what a pole feels like, but this feels way better.”
2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay took the last spot in the top 12 with a 232.385 mph effort in the final hour.
Colton Herta was unlucky 13th, with Veekay’s time bumping him out of the top 12 as the chequered flag flew. Reigning IndyCar Champion Alex Palou will start 14th.
With 33 spots available on the grid and 34 entries, one driver will miss a place in the Indy 500 field. Marcus Ericsson, Katherine Legge, Nolan Siegel, and Graham Rahal – for the second year running – were the bottom four qualifiers and will battle it out for the final spot on the grid on Monday morning.
Day 2 of qualifying begins at 7.00 am on Monday NZST. The top 12 become the Firestone Fast 6, from which the pole-sitter for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will be decided.
Header Image: Walt Kuhn (Penske Entertainment)
